🚌 Poipet

Terrestrial · Cambodia

Poipet is the busiest and most chaotic land crossing between Thailand and Cambodia, used by hundreds of tourists daily on the Bangkok–Siem Reap corridor. On the Thai side, Aranyaprathet is easily reached by train (about 5 hours from Bangkok Hua Lamphong) or by direct bus. The strip of no-man's-land between the two immigration halls is lined with casinos — legal on the Cambodian side, illegal back in Thailand — and should be walked through quickly, ignoring all touts. The border is open daily from 7:00 to 22:00. Cambodia e-Visa is accepted here, and visa-on-arrival is available (bring a passport photo and USD 30). Corruption is the crossing's most notorious feature: officials routinely demand a 'processing fee' of USD 5–20, especially outside normal hours. Firmly refusing often works, but not always — many travellers simply pay to avoid the argument. Scammers also operate on the Thai side, running fake 'visa offices' that charge for services you can do yourself at the actual border; walk past them all. The town of Poipet itself has little to recommend it — most travellers take the onward minibus or share taxi straight to Siem Reap (roughly 3–4 hours). Despite the hassle, the crossing is physically safe; actual danger to travellers is minimal.